‘What anybody outside our circle says doesn’t matter’

There was a hint that the restlessness and discomfort arising from the scathing criticism that Bangladesh received following their defeat to Scotland in the first round of the T20 World Cup still lingered in the Bangladesh camp as bowling coach Ottis Gibson arrived for the pre-match press conference yesterday on the eve of the Tigers' second Super 12 encounter against England.

Even former Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza raised questions over the role from the coaching staff after the defeat to Sri Lanka in their Super 12 opener, but Gibson said the team management was not focusing on what was being said on the outside. 

"I have no thoughts whatsoever. It doesn't interest or concern me what anybody outside of our circle is saying. We know what we do here as a coaching group, so whatever anybody outside the group is saying doesn't really matter.

There has been a lot of talk about Bangladesh's catching, especially after two crucial dropped catches from Liton Das against Sri Lanka, but Gibson said the team management would back players and stress that individuals reduce mistakes.

"Anybody can drop a catch at any time. We must not allow that to affect the player too much. We can't control what people are saying on social media. Only thing we can control is what is being said in the group and around the group," he said.

Bangladesh will be facing England for the very first time in the shortest format and with the experience of working with the English side in the past, Gibson said that it would be important for the Tigers to not panic in pressure situations.

"I have spoken to our bowlers and our batsmen. The England bowlers are looking to take wickets all the time and their batters are looking to score runs all the time and put bowlers under pressure. The message is not to panic, understand that you are going to get hit. You might bowl a good ball and get hit because that's their mentality, but they also give you opportunities to take wickets," Gibson said.